Hyderabad cricket has produced several good spin bowlers who have done yeoman service for the Indian team. The names of Ghulam Ahmed, Shivlal Yadav, Arshad Ayub, Venkatapathi Raju and Pragyan Ojha come to mind. However, where fast and medium pace bowlers are concerned, there have been very few who were able to play for the Indian team.
There was the medium pacer and all rounder Syed Abid Ali and now there is Mohammed Siraj. In the past there was Devraj Govindraj but he was probably one of the most unlucky bowlers who emerged from Hyderabad.
He was victim of politics
In 1967 he was at his best. But regional politics played its part in team selection and Govindraj was not selected in the Indian team despite good performances. Ramakant Desai and Umesh Kulkarni got the nod ahead of Govindraj for the tour of Australia.
He was selected in the Indian team for the tour of West Indies in 1971 but was not picked for even a single Test match. The series turned out to be a historic one because India won its first ever cricket series against the West Indies. But Govindraj was not given the chance to play a role in that great victory.
Surprising decision
The decision of skipper Ajit Wadekar to keep him away from the scene of action was truly surprising. For, during this phase, India was going through a period when there was a dearth of fast bowlers. India’s opening bowler Desai had retired by then and the Indian team needed a good seamer who could open the attack. The situation was favourable for Govindraj to make a Test debut but he never got a chance to make his presence felt in the Test arena.
Govindraj said in an interview once that Wadekar preferred to have the services of his own teammates from Bombay. The reason why Hyderabad’s opening batsman Kenia Jayantilal got an opportunity in one Test match in the West Indies was only because Sunil Gavaskar was injured.
Guided by excellent coaches
During his formative years, Govindraj had the good fortune to be coached by some of Hyderabad’s best coaches including Eduljee Aibara and A R Bhupathi. For some time the West Indian fast bowler Roy Gilchrist had been brought over to Hyderabad to represent the side in the Ranji trophy and the paceman from the Caribbean islands also provided Govindraj with many helpful hints.
In the 1964-1965 season Govindraj made his debut in the Ranji trophy for Hyderabad against Madras. His career surged upwards under the leadership of M L Jaisimha who knew how to make best use of a pace bowler with Govindraj’s abilities. At this time many leading experts were of the opinion that Govindraj would definitely fulfill the role of a fast bowler for the Indian team.
In 1970-1971, his wonderful performances in the Ranji trophy and Duleep trophy tournaments saw him being selected for the Indian team to tour the West Indies under the new captain Ajit Wadekar who had replaced the Nawab of Pataudi. But in the series, Govindraj was given a chance only in the preparatory matches and not in the Test matches.
Gary Sobers was impressed
In one of the matches against local sides, even Gary Sobers was impressed with his bowling so it is very unfortunate that he was not given a chance to prove his mettle in the Test matches. He was also in the Indian team for the tour of England later but there again he was not picked for any Test match. The fact that he was not given even a single opportunity to play in Test cricket despite being a good seam bowler, will no doubt remain a regretful aspect of his cricket career.
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